Food processors and blending devices have existed for many years. One example of a blending device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,834, which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference.
Food processors and blending machines are being used now more than ever, particularly in the high-volume, commercial beverage industry. People are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits, in terms of taste and quality, of well-processed beverages. Blended fruit smoothies and similar fruit drinks, popular with all types of people ranging from the fitness conscious to the less active, require a food processor or blending machine. Cold beverages, in particular, which utilize fruit (frozen or fresh) and ice to prepare present unique challenges in beverage preparation. An appropriate blending machine will break down the ice, fruit, and other ingredients in attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency. In addition, food processors or blending machines are ideal for mixing nutritional supplements into beverages while similarly attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency.
In addition to the recent increase in the popularity of smoothies, food processors and blending machines are being used to produce many new and different beverages. For example, different types of coffees, shakes, dairy drinks, and the like are now commonly served at many different types of retail business locations. Consumers are demanding more diversity and variety in the beverages available at these smoothie and other retail stores. The keys to producing a high quality beverage, irrespective of the specific type of beverage, are quality ingredients and a high quality blending machine that will quickly and efficiently blend the ingredients to produce a drink with uniform consistency.
One problem associated with businesses that depend on blending machines is the speed with which the beverage or drink is prepared. In the food preparation industry, time equals money. Beverages have traditionally been made by retrieving the appropriate ingredients, placing the ingredients inside a mixing container, and actuating a motor which drives a blade mounted inside the mixing container to blend the contents held within the mixing container. Virtually all traditional blending devices require some type of manual programming by tactile actuation (i.e., actuation by the operator's fingertips) of at least one switch, and commonly several switches (particularly where variable speeds are desired), through a key pad or the like to initiate operation of the blending device. Such programming requires focused action by the operator and, as a result, takes up time in the blending process. Each second of time wasted, even a fraction of a second of time wasted, adds up over time to significant amounts of money lost for any commercial operation.
Another problem with respect to prior blending devices relates to safety. While the potential for the beverage ingredients to be hurled all over the place may provide some incentive to place a lid on the mixing container before blending, any additional incentive to maintain a lid on the mixing container during processing will enhance safety.
Still another traditional problem with respect to blending devices relates to cavitation, which occurs when a pocket of air envelops the area surrounding the blade. Efforts are continually being made to design blending devices to reduce cavitation.
Yet another problem with respect to traditional blending devices relates to the type of ingredients that need to be mixed to create an optimal drink consistency, and the ability of the blending device to handle such ingredients. For example, individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit is now commonly used in making smoothies. Most blending devices are simply not capable of appropriately handling IQF fruit to achieve an optimal, uniform consistency.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a blending station apparatus and method of blending that will allow beverages to be made quickly and efficiently minimizing the overall time required between ordering a beverage and serving the beverage to the customer. There is also a need to provide a blending apparatus and blending method that will minimize the need to program the blending device just prior to actuating the device. There is still further a need to develop a blending device that reduces cavitation. Yet another need exists to provide a blending device with a blade and jar configuration that will produce a beverage with an optimal, uniform consistency with respect to all desired ingredients.